Laundering method



Patented Oct. 1930 UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE ROBERT A. PHAIR, OFALLENDALE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO H. KOHNS'IAMM'. & (10., INC., 01 NEWYORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK LAUNDERING METHOD R Drawing.

In my application N 0. 644,818, filed June 11, 1923, I have described alaundering method in which the goods are subjected to a bath containinga bleach such as hypo- 5 chlorite liquor and an alkali such as sodiumbicarbonate, and are subjected to a chlorine reducing agent or antichlorsuch as sodium sulfite and to an alkali-modifying salt such as ammoniumsulfate which converts the alkali into a harmless and easily removablesubstance. These two agents, the antichlor and the alkali-modifier, maybe separate substances added to the same water with or withoutpreliminary mixing.

In order to secure the two efiects referred to, I may use a single agentwhich combines them. For example ammonium sulfite or ammoniumthiosulfate will serve not only as an antichlor but also as a modifyingagent for the sodium carbonate or other alkali.

The present application is based specifically on the'use of such asingle agent. In this method, the goods are subjected to the usual bathsamong which is a bath containing a bleach and an alkali. Thereafter thegoods are subjected to a bath containing an ammonium salt such as thesulfite or thiosulfate, or equivalent agent, which serves both to reducethe bleach and tomodify the alkali to a less alkaline product.

By an equivalent agent I mean an ammonium salt in which the ammoniumgroup is combined with a reducing sulphur acid to form -a salt whichwill reduce chlorine and hypochlorites and not decompose soap.

The amount of the ammonium salts necessary to give the best resultsdepends, of course, on the previous treatment of the goods, the amountof alkalinity, the amount of bleach and the amount of rinsing.Sulficient ammonium salt should be added to the water to neutralize theoxidizing power of the bleach and turn the stronger alkalies over to theharmless ammonia. An excess of the 2. 60 gallons warm water, suflicient"Application filed October 7, 1924. Serial No. 742,268.

ammonium salt will do no harm. A typical washing formula would be asfollows:

soap for'suds 10 3. gallons hot water 36 oz. 12%

available chlorine bleach 20 4. 120 gallons hot water oz. ammoniumsulfite dry 5 5. 120 gallons hot water rinse 5 6. 120 gallons warm waterrinse 5 7. 120 gallons cold water rinse 5 take care of the'alkali asample of the bath may be taken and boiled until no more ammoniadistills off; if the sample still reacts red with phenolphthalein, moreof the ammonium salt should be added.

What I claim is 1. In laundering, the method'which includes subjectingthe goods'to a bath con taining the usual soap and bleach and an alkaliand thereafter, before the soap has been washed out, subjecting thegoods to an ammonium salt in which the ammonium group is combined with areducing'acid and which will function as an antichlor for the chlorineand hypochlorites and not decompose soap and which will modify thealkali to a less alkaline product. v

2. In laundering, themethod which includes subjecting the goods toa bathcontaining a bleach and an alkali and thereafter subjecting the goods toan ammonium salt in which the ammonium group is combined 4. In launderinbicarbonate and thereafter,

' with a reducing acid containing sulfur and oxygen.

3. In launderin the method which includes subjecting t e goods to anammonium salt selected from the group consistinguof ammonium sulfite andammonium t 'osulfate. 4

the method which includes subjecting t e goods to an ammonium sulfite.

5. In laundering, the method which includessubjecting the goods to abath containing soap, hypochlorite liquor and sodium bicarbonate andthereafter, before the soap has been rinsed out, subjecting the goods toan ammonium salt in which the ammonium group is combined with a reducingacid and which will function as an antichlor for the chlorine andhypochlorites and will not decompose soap and which will modify thealkali to a less alkaline product.

6. In laundering the method which includes subjecting the goods to abath containing soap, hypochlorite lirgleor and sodium fore the soap hasbeen rinsed out subjecting the goods to an ammonium salt in which theammonium group is combined with a reducing acid containing sulfur andoxygen.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

- ROBERT A. PHAIR.

